Witcher Franchise Speculation

[gislason82]

If you can't appreciate a great game only because of the protagonist's gender and not other objective reasons, the odds are you are a teenage boy/girl. Luckily gaming is slowly becoming a respected pass time for adults so the pandering will be less by 2019

Regardless of anyones stance on role playing as a boy or girl the video game industry is a business, and they would sell more copies if either a man was the protagonist or if you had a choice. Role playing games are unique in that they transport you and your personal dialog preferences(and relationship preferences) into the character you are playing. It is easier for some people to transport themselves into a male character(its not a maturity issue but a role playing immersion issue). I am not opposed to playing a female Witcher(played a female in Mass Effect 3 in second play through), but I tend to feel more connected with the character if it is a male and this impacts my level of immersion.

While adults are a large customer base of video games there will always be pandering to teenagers, which probably still represent a third or more of video game sales. Also from an international sale perspective some cultures would prefer a male lead over a female lead. In a perfect world video game designers would be free to follow their vision, but unfortunately they need to maximize sales. If having a male lead sells even a 100 more units then it is the better choice from a business perspective. That being said I think a new Witcher story where you can choose to be either a women or male is doable.

 

[gislason82]

Guys,

If this series continues, and I'm not 100 sure that it should, Ciri is the only logical way forward. What made the Witcher cool in the first place was the attention that they paid to the source material. To have a random Witcher protagonist would just detach it from the story arc too much. The things that makes character interactions in The Wild Hunt so good is that the characters have so much history with each other, history that was created by not only CDPR but Sapkowski. In the case of Ciri they can keep playing with that formula.

If they reset the character structure completely they will have to accomplish the most amazing feat in the history of video game writing Carrying the story forward with Ciri will allow them to keep taking advantage of the character structure and keep the events in the same "orbit". Considering the amount of great secondary characters that they have, anything too drastic just doesn't make sense

Besides, it could be the first game where the female protagonist i really multi-dimensional and "real". I thought the new Tomb raider would go tthat way but half way through the plot they decided to make Lara in the typical helpless crybaby (OH NO, Captains dead , BOOHOO)

I don't think it would be that complicated of a feat to come up with a back story for a new witcher. Here is a story I came up with on the fly. A young Witcher trained by Lethos locates Geralt after the School of the Cat is destroyed by the Emperor. After the Nilfguardian Empire subdued the human population of the North it turned its attention towards all nonhumans and considered the Witchers the biggest threat of all since Geralt and the school of cat were behind the death of 2 kings. Geralt agrees to further train the young Witcher to try and save the the Witchers from becoming extinct. After a few hours of gameplay with Geralt the Emperor sends a whole unit of Nilfguardian soldiers to locate Geralt and his lover(Triss or Yennifer). After a hectic fight Geralt sacrifices himself to let the young Witcher and Triss/Yennifer to escape.

Young Witcher then becomes determined to go back to his roots as an assassin of the school of cat to assassinate the Emperor. In the process he helps the Scoia'tael rid the forest of monsters, does local quests to assassinate Nilfguardian local leaders(a new stealth mechanic can be added), and fights through towns where mutants and the like are to be hanged on site. Also for a little political intrigue we can add a human rebel alliance that represents the last of the North that needs aid in defeating the Nilfguardian Empire, which can include that girl who is a dragon from the second game.

You could even make Ciri a leader of the opposition against her father, but leave her back story limited to assigning a few missions and leading an epic battle at the end of the game. Could getting Ciri to take her fathers place as Emperor be the goal of Witcher 4? I am not a writer but it took me less than 20 minutes to come up with this story. I am sure the writing team of Witcher 3 with a few months of thought can come up with a great story in the Witcher universe. Having an elf Witcher would be especially interesting in a land where elfs are being killed off at every opportunity.

 

[CTPhipps]

I personally do not like playing woman's character, nothing sexist about it, simply it breaks immersion for me. But I would love to be able to create my own Witcher, either gender so that everyone would be happy. At the same time, Witcher was always story focused, maybe it would be much harder to tell if a given "witcher" could be anyone? I'd love a challenge of reforming the Witcher school of some sort and basically adventure that isn't saving the world but rather, being your own guy within this great, fantasy setting that Sapkowski and CDRP brought us. Maybe even a choice of being an adventurer without having the benefits and the drawbacks of being mutated? Just spitballing here.

Eh, I want Ciri over a new Witcher. She's too cool and important not to want to play.

---------- Updated at 04:09 AM ----------

Regardless of anyones stance on role playing as a boy or girl the video game industry is a business, and they would sell more copies if either a man was the protagonist or if you had a choice.

That's a questionable assertion and one which I strongly disagree with.

 

[LuckyStars]

[No Spoilers] ITS 1AM GMT+10 AND I JUST FINISH WITCHER 3! One question lingers...

Probably not going to get a true answers, but after finishing the game. I really want another Witcher game focus on Ciri. Either her history or future, I understand that CDPR is trying to keep true to the book but after playing as Ciri in some part, her combat mechanic is interesting (abit OP) and her personality is likeable... am I alone with this idea? Or is this the VERY VERY LAST Witcher game?
























ITS TIME FOR 2ND PLAY-ROUND!

 

[gislason82]

I think Ciri is a likable character, but I absolutely hate her game mechanic. If they use Ciri I hope that they stick to a more traditional dodge and roll mechanic. Ciri's mechanic was also limited to 3 buttons, so I am not sure whats to like. I think a new Witcher and Ciri as a love interest is the best of both worlds

As far as this being the last Witcher game my guess is no. I think this series is finally starting to take off. The only reason that they might stop making Witcher games is if Cyberpunk drastically out sells Witcher 3.

 

[Avenias]

[Spoilers]

I am very sure that eventually CDPR will continue the story with Ciri. There were many tell tale signs of it. According to the prophecy, Ciri is the world destroyer and it cant be just a coincidence that they actually let you take a small taste of the different worlds Ciri has been teleporting through. My hunch is that the next Witcher will have the main content revolving around Ciri mastering her elder blood abilities and using it to fight off the evils of the different world. My guess is that, it will be some kind of invasion from the remaining elves still around. Dont forget that Avallac'h and one of the elven general is still alive, and as they walked off in a cutscene after unveiling the truth about Eredin killing their former king, what happened next is unknown. Thier intentions are still unknown. My guess is that whatever his intentions are, it will ultimately be tied with Ciri in the next witcher game. As for us players, i seriously doubt we will play as Ciri. I would say that we will be introduced a new witcher, some how related to Ciri or even Geralt, and we will be helping her unlock her power. Our decisions will ultimately decide if the prophecy of her being is world destroyer is fulfilled.

 

[Canard1]

Ciri is not a Witcher so why will a game called "The Witcher" will have a main protagonist that is not a witcher? I think, if they want to continue with this series they will have to make a jump in the year, backwards or fordward, they will need to create new lore, new characters, almost new everything.
One of the things I will be interested to see is how was the world of the witcher before, when they were more witchers, at their prime and have lots of schools around the continent, there will have to be way more monster, even dragons than are almost extinct in the Geralt's era. But that just my opinion.

 

[Madara0]

I'm fine with the series ending like this, but if they were to make a new Witcher game, I'd prefer to play as a brand new, customizable witcher. The way the games evolved 1 through 3 is amazing, but I find it difficult to see how much they could improve upon the formula at this point (but maybe that's why I'm not a game developer). Anyway, I'm fine with the series being left alone for a good few years before maybe exploring a different perspective that could bring something fresh to the universe. But personally, I'd prefer not to play as Ciri, though I certainly wouldn't mind hearing about her story in said game.

 

[shabba-d-ranks]

Not that I´m anti feminist oder something, but I´d rather not play a female protagonist

 

[stuboy52]

I think many people who have read to books, like myself, will probably like Ciri to become the main character in a future game, given the character development in the books. So for me given the background development, we have for Ciri and considering she was trained by Vesemir and Geralt, she's a perfect fit for a witcher game without Geralt, as many times Ciri is even called the Witcheress. Yet i still get how those have only played the games will be uncertain about a game without Geralt as they are mostly from his perspective. However in the books Geralt takes a somewhat more equal role of importance with Yen and Ciri, so i can imagine the witcher going beyond Geralt as a result.

Of course a customized witcher which can be male or female would probably be a good middle ground, especially for those who may prefer the fresh start for the witcher series.

 

[UhuruNUru]

What gets me is how narrow minded the people both for and against a new "Witcher" game.

Witchers are a very small part of this world, you could have many games set in this world, without even seeing or mentioning a Witcher at all.

Same with creating a character, basically apart from not actually choosing Geralt's, Race, Sex and Appearsance (RSA), you still create your Geralt, simply by choosing how your Geralt behaves and responds you create his personality. Those RSA choices wouldn't actually change this games story, in any significant way at all.
That you don't get that choice is due to the source material used being that way. Not that it must have been so, to make these games good, just that it fit the source material better.

If this was instead an original IP, it would almost certainly have had character creation from the start. That wouldn't have impeded the story telling of the game, any more than choosing Good options or Evil options and changing your Geralt, impedes this story.

Simply put, great storytelling would work, with or without a specific main character.

I seriously doubt Cyberpunk will have a specific main character, because though also based on an existing IP, the source of that is a pen and paper RPG game, where creating your character is a central part of that RPG experience.
The story can and should be just as good as in this game.

My preferred after Cyberpunk 2077 game, would have completely original story and world. not based on anything else. That doesn't mean a new tale set in the World of the Witcher can't be good, just that I'd prefer something brand new, with no boundaries set in the stone of existing canon.

 

[CTPhipps]

Ciri is not a Witcher so why will a game called "The Witcher" will have a main protagonist that is not a witcher? I think, if they want to continue with this series they will have to make a jump in the year, backwards or fordward, they will need to create new lore, new characters, almost new everything.
One of the things I will be interested to see is how was the world of the witcher before, when they were more witchers, at their prime and have lots of schools around the continent, there will have to be way more monster, even dragons than are almost extinct in the Geralt's era. But that just my opinion.

Ciri is a Witcher, she just has sorcery to substitute for not being a mutant.

 

[yoobzon]

Ciri is a Witcher, she just has sorcery to substitute for not being a mutant.

Technically the guy is right though, you have to pass The Trial of Grasses to become a witcher and Ciri was never subjected cos they didn't wanna risk her life.

But, the Witcher is so much more than actual witchers. I have no problem with exploring the world through the eyes of someone who is not technically a witcher. And Ciri has experienced both the witcher life and the royal (political) life. She'd be a great protagonist

 

[jamiehavok]

i highly doubt this will be the last witcher game, heck Mass effect 3 was supposed to be the last mas effect, well look how that turned out!

Not too keen on a spin off would prefer them to continue with Geralt. Though maybe with other playable characters, Geralt should remain central

 

[murrayb67]

I wouldn't mind seeing what Lambert & Keira Metz are getting up to.

 

[Liquidacid]

i highly doubt this will be the last witcher game, heck Mass effect 3 was supposed to be the last mas effect, well look how that turned out!

No it wasn't. They never said it would be the last. Hell before 3 even released they clearly said they would probably make more Mass Effect games but 3 would just be the last one staring Shepard because his part of the story was what they were ending

 

[elisar]

Ciri isn't a witcher, so I'm not sure you could still call it a Witcher game even though its set in the Witcher universe. It would be more like Tales from Temeria: Adventures of Ciri.

I wish Geralt would just ask Skellige to send boys for training to make new witchers. Even if continentals wouldn't be willing, we know Skelligans are willing to put their children through dangerous trials to prove themselves, so I think they would be happy to help rebuild Kaer Morhen and continue the wolf school. I can think of some other villages in Velen or Novigrad who would also think having more witchers is important for the future. Not sure why Geralt seems so disinterested. I know Lambert hates the idea, not sure where Eskel stands but he would probably go along. I'm sure Vesimir has taught Geralt enough about the trials and mutagens needed to become the next master of the school or whatever when he retires, so it could go on for plenty more generations. This world of monsters needs witchers, even if the cost is great. But I think they can do better at weeding out candidates too to get that 3/10 rate better, since in the past they have relied on random children whereas Skellige children would have undergone a lot of trials already before being considered for the honor to represent their clan and avenge all of their ancestors who have ever fallen to monsters. Even build a settlement for them outside Kaer Morhen so there are non-witchers around to help maintain the castle after it gets rebuilt by the experts my 60,000 crowns could afford. They could even stop being so distrustful and let Triss and Yen (both sworn to secrecy of course) try to figure out magickal ways to determine if people will survive the trials, by letting them know the secrets and observe/test the kids and trials.

Anyway, then we would have new generations of Witchers to play as and Geralt would become an NPC. A young witcher fresh out of Kaer Morhen out on his or her own, taking on the challenges of witchering life. Ciri could even undergo the trials, but I don't think it would fit with her story and I think she is not very likely to fit into an adventure story unless its a prequel.

 

[Sjukob]

I acutally dislike Ciri , especially after playing The Witcher 3 , I hope she will not make it even to the important characters list and by no means a protagonist .

 

[Cirivia]

I acutally dislike Ciri , especially after playing The Witcher 3 , I hope she will not make it even to the important characters list and by no means a protagonist .

You what?! :mean:

 

[Liquidacid]

I still say Bart the Troll from under the bath house is the best choice. Just imagine the sex scenes!